Earl on Fire

by Felicity Niven

Henry Delamere, the seventh Earl of Ashthorpe, has built an impossibly thick wall of ice around his heart, and only his granddaughter can thaw it. He’d do anything for Mina, but she just wants two things—a new storybook and a new grandmama. Henry can’t see why either should be too hard to acquire.



Miss Susannah Beasley has no idea where the years have gone. Wasn’t it just yesterday she was a girl dancing on the green with her sweetheart? True, that fellow married another long ago, and Susannah only sees a gray-haired old woman when she looks in the glass. But her flame still burns brightly.



When the frosty Henry Delamere comes to Susannah’s village in search of a mysterious author, the friction between them makes that flame glow, flare high, become a torch. Is it a signal? A guiding light? Or will the spark of their passion set her whole life ablaze?



Susannah wants a blaze. A bonfire. An inferno. But Henry's past—and hers—could turn everything to ash.



Can she find the fuel to light her earl on fire?



Earl on Fire is a new historical romance from author Felicity Niven.

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Romance, Regency, Novella, Fiction

236 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 7, 2026

About the author

Sign up for Felicity Niven's newsletter and to receive a free prequel novella to the series The Lovelocks of London at https://www.felicityniven.com/reviews....

Felicity Niven is a hopeful romantic. Writing Regency romance is her third career after two degrees from Harvard. And you know what they say about third things? Yep, it’s a charm. She splits her time between the temperate South in the winter and the cool Great Lakes in the summer and thinks there can be no greater comforts than a pot of soup on the stove, a set of clean sheets on the bed, and a Jimmy Stewart film on a screen in the living room.

Reviews

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anytime I see a hot older couple get a chance at love I’m pouncing on the book no matter what 🤷‍♀️

I love that we are getting more stories of older characters. Love isn’t just for the youth after all and I love getting more perspectives in romances, I really think romance as a whole is missing out on these kinds of stories.

This was an interesting read. While I did really enjoy these characters I felt like I truly didn’t get to know them. The pacing is so fast that it felt we never really lingered in moments too long, we were told instead of shown a lot in the middle and the romance itself was extremely insta lust.
While this story was compelling and unique I do think it suffered from being too short. There was too much flung at the reader towards the end that it felt it was added for shock value.

While Henry gets a lot of character development it almost felt like Susannah got left in the dark. She had an interesting upbringing and life although a sad one, but it’s really only touched upon in moments that feel almost info/trauma dumpy. Her story felt unfinished and her issues were swept under the carpet in favour of Henrys.

The writing. This was really well done. I think Nevin is a wonderful writer. Her characters are so quirky and well done that you can’t help but cheer them on.

The heavy stuff. There was a lot of trauma in this book. Check your trigger warnings. Most of it happens off page but it does get a little dark. Again I do think these kinda of trauma shouldn’t be brought up and then wiped away and I did feel like this was the case with some aspects of the story. While we thankfully didn’t get explicit detail, it felt a little gratuitous because some content was touched upon and/or left to the side at the end.

The sex. I would say for the length of the book this is high heat. I did wish we got one less sex scene in exchange for a scene where it felt like these two were actually getting to know one another without it feeling like a scene manufactured solely for the intent of just .. offering up information that felt unnatural. The writing during these scenes weren’t my favourite. I tend to enjoy writing that’s more rooted in emotion and I didn’t get that here. Also (and I will continue to bring this up in all my review when I notice it) a real disproportionate number of eating to blowjobs. What’s going on?? where are the eaters at??? Why am I reading bj upon bj and the fmc gets nothing? I’m bored let’s give the fmc some 🤷‍♀️ this did end in epilogue sex too and for a book that’s already got a lot of sex in it I found it unnecessary. I would have liked to have seen them actually DO something. The relationship started off as instant attraction and we never really got anything deeper than that.

The second epilogue fell flat for me also, i ran to download it because I loved these characters and was interested in their story. There was certain things I was expecting from the epilogue and I was kinda disappointed it didn’t happen. I’m guessing we will see more of them in upcoming books? And I’m still holding out hope I’ll get to see what I wanted from the second epilogue.


Overall a great premise, interesting characters I just felt like we never dug deeper and everything remained surface level.

[Ila · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEW OF AN ARC COPY RECEIVED FROM THE AUTHOR

This is an honest review, these are just my personal opinions. (Sorry for typos. Piccola recensione in italiano alla fine!)


Ok well, what can I say?
- We are used to the POV of young MMCs being sons who don’t talk to their fathers because of how badly they were raised/ treated as a child, or because of some huge argument they had. In Earl on Fire, we see the other side of the coin. Henry doesn’t talk with his sons anymore, and even though we learn why later on, it really makes you wonder. It was so interesting for once seeing another point of view, the MMC being the father who they don’t talk to anymore.
- I LOVED Henry’s and Mina relationship. She really brings out the best in him! And she’s so smart too!
- The MC are not only likable, but also relatable. They have real struggles, real flaws, and are not so stubborn as to stop the change they need to be happy. A strong FMC? Yes please. Susannah is brave and smart, but also so witty!
- It was so fun and refreshing seeing MC who are not the picture of athleticism anymore. I like that all the little things that come with age where actually portrayed here. (I also will never stop loving scary-but-loving great-aunts who have the MCs backs!)
- lastly, the plot twists! I won’t say a thing more about it, but be ready!
I wish we could have seen more of the rebuilding of a certain bond in the end, but I’m happy it got solved!

The story does touch heavy themes, so be mindful while reading, but if you ask me, it’s definitely worth it!

Ok eccomi.
In poche parole, è davvero molto carino! Protagonisti con difetti e passati credibili, scelte passate che EFFETTIVAMENTE si ripercuotono sul presente, ma entrambi pronti a cambiare per avere un futuro più felice.
È stato interessante vedere l’altro lato della medaglia, quello del padre a cui i figli non parlano di più. Di solito è sempre il contrario, è stato bello cambiare un po’ per una volta.
Mi fanno pisciare le varie magagne che hanno i due, ma alla fine cos’è un nonno senza acciacchi? Perché si! Henry è nonno e il rapporto che ha con Mina è davvero dolce.
Affronta temi pesanti e, anche se non avvengono durante la narrazione, fanno parte del loro passato, li menzionano e influiscono sul presente dei personaggi.
Una lettura piacevole, consiglio!

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes:
- MMC - 55 years old, Earl, Grandfather, widower, blonde(!), stoic, cold (initially), bad relationship with his children, and his late wife was AWFUL!
- FMC - also in her 50’s, Spinster, took care of all her brothers and her ailing mother, very independent and capable, and also a children’s book author.
- Older couple.
- Spinster and Earl - so class differences.
- Both have experienced trauma.
- Quite a bit of spice, open door.

I really enjoyed this book! This was a very refreshing story as it was very non-traditional and grittier than many historical romance novels I have read before. If you want books like Bridgerton, this is not it. And I mean this as a compliment. I adored that these two were older characters and hearing their story from older perspectives was just so different. They had different regrets and goals than characters younger than them. And that was sooooo refreshing. They were so relatable for it. Every time Henry complained about his knees, I just laughed and totally got it.
This story has a lot of depth; the lives both Henry and Susannah have led have been lives of pain, struggle, and trauma. This is explored and shown. Henry has so many regrets in how he handled his relationships with his sons and now wants to change. His turning point was bringing his granddaughter into his life and being physically and emotionally present for her. He couldn’t say no to her when she asked for a new book by her favourite author and for a new grandmother. This is the impetus that pushes Henry out of his comfort zone and into Susannah’s sphere. Also, I just want to say that his wife was a total bitch and there is a place in hell for women like her (giving no spoilers).

Susannah is a very independent and hardworking woman. She has led a life of sacrifice; caring for her ailing mother (who then dies and leaves her in charge of the family) and all her brothers. She kept everyone and everything together. She never got to live for herself. Also, her life in the village she lives in is horrible. The people treat her abominably and she still gets harassed by her ex-boyfriend.
The thing that I love about her is that she finally says “enough is enough, I want something for myself” and she finally grabs life by the horns! I don’t want to spoil anything for readers but she has been through hell and back. I was devastated for her. But I was also so happy she finally got to be with someone like Henry who adored her and wanted to ease her life. Even to the very end she took what life gave her but did it on her own terms and that is huge (especially for that time).

The reason I took one star off is that I’m not fully sure why Henry fell for Susannah to begin with. He seemed very enamoured of her and he kept calling her names in his mind but that felt more like he was projecting things onto her. He didn’t know her yet and he made assumptions and just sort of fell in love with her. I could tell she was physically attracted to him and she was always pleasantly surprised by his reactions to her. So I could see why she liked him. But he sort of just had insta-lust/love and it felt so odd compared to the rest of the depth of the book. If that makes sense?

It’s hard to describe this book as I don’t want to spoil things for readers but also because it is so non-traditional. I would say to readers to give this a go if you’re looking for depth, something different, and be prepared for a grittier and more realistic depiction of people during that time period. This book is also spicy and they are very well written scenes. So if spice isn’t your thing, you might want to avoid this one. I personally felt they were great.

Last thing - there is an epilogue with the book and a second epilogue you can get via the authors website/newsletter. I read both and enjoyed them and they add to the story. So don’t miss out on them.

I want to thank the author for this ARC. All opinions are mine.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Find a quiet spot and allow yourself plenty of time to enjoy reading this book.
A widowed earl in his fifties only wants to make his granddaughter happy. She wants the author of her favorite books to write another one. With direction to a village by his aunt to find the author, he meets Miss Susannah Beasley. A spinster in her fifties, he's never been this attracted to a woman before. A kiss from the Earl changes her life and his. Great story of a couple falling in love later in life. Explicit sex.

[Laura Linn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is the rich harmonizing counterpoint to the melody we already know by heart.
You know the one…the young lord, resentful of his father’s emotional detachment and “unforgivable” mistakes, turns from his home and flees. But what of the man left behind, living with the untenable choices he made? The man who feels the weight of every day he’s lived and all the words he could not say, whose life is empty save for the ghosts of his past? And when the opportunity arises to do things differently, does he love all the more fearlessly for the wisdom of his years?

I’ll spare you the synopsis and get to what I loved about this story—and there was so much to love. One of the many things Felicity does reliably well is understand her characters. It sounds like the bare minimum for any author, but too often only the traits necessary to carry the plot forward are given real attention, and everything else is left underdeveloped. The result is a book that resembles a bland loaf of bread… recognisably functional, structurally correct, but lacking depth or flavour. In short, it might fill your stomach, but it hasn’t the slightest hope of reaching your soul. Earl on fire will feed your soul and leave you hungering for more.

From the very start, both Henry and Susannah struck me as complex, distinctive, delightfully flawed people, and like all of Felicity’s characters, even without the advantage of names or context clues, I would know precisely whose “head” I was in, because their individual voice—who they are, what they value, what they fear, and how those things shape their view of the world—is present in every line of internal dialogue. Not overtly signposted for the reader, but instead built through small, deliberate details.

From the first word, I was pulled into this story. The age and maturity of the characters was handled especially well. If you’re twenty and reading this novel, you may not feel the same instinct to tip your hat in commiseration to Susannah that I, at forty-five, did. When you’re twenty, you assume you’ll feel “old” when you reach your mid-forties, but often you don’t. Until you pull something in your back trying to skateboard with your son, or find yourself reacting to life with the benefit of years lived, you can go for long stretches still seeing yourself as the girl you once were. Felicity really captured that odd paradox that happens as we age…of both acutely feeling the passage of years and not feeling them at all.

I absolutely loved the premise of this book, with Henry seeking out the author of his granddaughters favorite stories and I found the certainty with which Henry fell… both sweet and refreshing. Again, as a woman closer to the age of these characters than the average heroine, I can understand how his experience and maturity placed him in a position where, once he knew what he wanted, he committed his entire heart to keeping her—even to the extent that he was willing to compromise on what that love would look like.

As for Susannah, while avoiding any spoilers, I found her both highly relatable and extremely likable. Approaching the world with whimsy, humor, and optimism, she is the epitome of refusing to let the world break her spirit. And while she was certainly a colorful character, she never tipped into parody for me.

All that is to say, the author packed a surprising amount of humor, complexity, and heart into a relatively short story. I received this novel as an ARC and these are my honest opinions.

[Dyanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Author

As I contemplate my review of this book it occurred to me that this is a story about 2nd chances. 2nd chance love comes in all forms and even in a romance it’s not always about the main characters.
Henry, the Earl of Ashthorp had to make some very difficult decisions early in his life. Marry for money to shore up his estates, alienate his sons to keep them safe from his wife’s lover, not use his wealth and position to force his sons to be in his life after their majority. But all these difficult decisions came at a cost and now he’s lonely, bitter without anyone in his twilight years. So when the death of his older son and heir gives him the 2nd chance to make amends he doesn’t even hesitate to give his illegitimate 2 year old granddaughter a home. And now he can give her all the love and affection he had so wished he could have given his sons when he had the chance. It’s been 3 years since is granddaughter Mina has come to live with him and one of their favorite activities is reading and re-reading “The Tales of Tommy Treadwell”and “The Further Adventures of Tommy Treadwell”. These books, from his own son’s childhood, make him feel not only close to Mina but close to his sons as well. It’s too bad the author only wrote a few of these book many years ago!!
Susannah Beasley has lived a self-less life of taking care of her dying mother and the raising her younger brothers. Now at the age of 50 the only thing she has to look back on are the books she published under her nom de plume of Mr. Augustus Puddlewick and a failed romance turned scandal that still haunts her.
It’s only by chance that Henry and Susannah meet and only by chance that Henry recognizes the small village Susannah lives in at the village in the Treadwell books. Is it too late for each of them to have a 2nd chance at finding happiness? Will Henry’s 2nd chance at love and (grand)fatherhood give him a second chance with his one living son?
I love that Ms Nivens gives us a later in life romance full of all the foibles of growing old. There are some funny snippets that only older readers can appreciate: like how hard it can be for a 55 year old with bad knees to get up from a picnic blanket or even some other physical (😉) activities. As one of these older readers I appreciate that the MC’s realistic limitations!
This book does not hold back from spicy sex scenes. But for me I couldn’t quite give it 5 ⭐️ because of some thrown in plot lines and off page 2nd characters I felt were not needed, felt unresolved and distracted me from the main plot. Ms Nivens hints at these characters and that this book as the start of a new series if you read a “newsletter only” 2nd epilogue (which I have not read yet at the time of this review) so maybe these will be addressed.
But all and all this was good read by one of my favorite authors and if there is more to come in this series I will look forward to reading them.
Thank you to the author for the advance copy for my unbiased review

[Old Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Earl On Fire is a historical romance fairy tale about two lonely people in their 50s. Both have experienced their share of emotional hardship. Each of them has been closed off for decades. The MMC, Henry, finds his purpose in life when he becomes the guardian of his little granddaughter who inspires him to find a children’s author and convince the author to write a new book. Along the way he meets Susannah who brings light and love into his life. This is a low angst but high spice book that reaffirms the power of love to bring healing to the walking wounded. There really are happy endings.

[HistoricalHussy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feels like an early draft of something better or like only the b plot of a book.

Not particularly into the heroine who somehow managed to give off the energy of a 20ish year old young lady while being 50(?), and I don’t mean that I have anything against youthful or spirited older female characters because that wasn’t my issue with this one, I think it’s more that she would sometimes come off as The Naïf™️ and it just didn’t work for me.

Edit: what happens in the “second epilogue” (which is accessed by signing up for newsletter updates) has no business being there and should be either in the main body of the novel or in the first epilogue

[Dr susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely historical romance

The best part is the main characters are older adults with graying hair, aching knees, and pasts riddled with secrets and regrets. Mina and Lady Chalfont are delightful. Niven's characters are loveable and believable, and the story is fantastic. (There is graphic sex.)

[Silvia Ribeiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

i found out about this book in Alexandra Vasti newsletter and i was completely hooked! older main couple (both 50+), an earl and secret children's book author, both with surprisingly dark pasts. i think the author handled it well, and i'm curious where the story is going next in this series.

[NatalyaVqs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written. Delightfully mature characters, as in grey haired, fifties, MMC is a grandfather. With life experience. Witty banter. No manipulation, no misunderstandings... they know what they want and they lay it out there, so very refreshing. A perfect historical romance!

[Lori Sadowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mina stank of redemption

I am grateful to ARC for this copy of Earl on Fire at no cost to me; this is my honest and voluntary review of the story.

Earl on Fire offers readers a Regency love affair peopled by atypical main characters. From the outset, their ages make them uncommon, but in every aspect of life they behave like the kinds of characters whom readers find in 95% of romances, which suggests that matters of the heart reduce most of us to confused youth, unsure of how to behave but desperately wanting the experience.

Felicity Niven facilitates their connection — and brings their story to life — by conjuring magic throughout her newest novel.

The plot of Earl on Fire is solid, but Niven gives it a little extra charm by crafting an exotic tale of a royal paramour in the subheadings of each chapter. Readers will quickly realize that this tale offers coded summaries for where the story is going. That arc provides readers insight into the female lead’s charm chapters before she, Susannah Beasley, is introduced. Throughout the story Susannah is whimsical, generous, tender, bawdy, and even sad & broken-hearted as the action demands but she is never broken. Henry Delamere, her male counterpart, shares some but not all of these characteristics. As the story opens, he is stoic, less optimistic and trusting — trudging through life because that’s what people his age do until they die. To be sure, his disappointments began early and were not just difficult; they were life altering. Susannah’s were no less so, but she found ways to insulate herself from some of the pain and hone in on hope. Henry tries to meet his challenges without losing a bit of himself. They each experience great loss; Henry must find a way to not just bury his but to let it go. Despite what would seem to be his superior life position: the earldom, a family, wealth, standing, and clear purpose, Henry needs Susannah more than she needs him. But she greatly wants him.

The story begins with a child’s wish which devolves into a mystery of sorts, albeit one that is a puzzle about one of the lovers more than the other. The child Mina wants a book AND a grandmother -- for quite practical reasons -- and Henry is willing to consider marriage to please his granddaughter. When Henry and Susannah meet, they make the first of what becomes consistent grumbles about their aging bodies, initially running gags. Later those grumbles morph into terms of endearment between them. Are they too old for physical intimacies as they lament? Later activities prove they are NOT! Here Niven begins to introduce both steam and magic: “it was as if they were both under a spell.” In fact, from Henry’s perspective, “Miss Beasley was not a witch but an enchantress. A short, bosomy enchantress with dirt on her face and flyaway hair”; she clearly ensorcells Henry in the best possible ways. Henry begins to heal from his trauma. Niven offers women as potential grandmothers for Henry to consider, which is not surprising; attractive earls become the target of marriage-minded mamas looking for a rich, connected sons-in-law. These marriage minded mamas do not distract Henry from his interest in Susannah even while he fails to realize how important she's becoming to his life.

A subplot brings an ally [and beloved relative] for Susannah. Dando creates a credible reason for decisions that she and Henry make that ignites their relationship. Again, Niven describes the moments using magical words but not to suggest their relationship is only possible in a fairy-tale world; instead she imbues their association with power: “What would his kiss be like? Lightning in the heat of summer, of the silence of snowfall. The glide of a rose petal…If there were any magic left to be found in this world, it was in his kiss.”

It’s in this subplot that the fears that separate Henry and Susannah begin to be tamed. At times that means deferring to her brother Dando’s needs, and by doing so, addressing her own. Meanwhile, Henry who believes he’s taking himself away from Susannah because they have no options, discovers he is wrong and more importantly, just how essential she is to his life, so they make a bargain that keeps them in each others’ lives. As Niven moves to the climactic events of the story, readers should know Henry’s history holds the darkest, most triggering parts of his life events. Confronting those truths are the only way to set multiple characters free and allow them to love. The last third of the book is a combination of careful jigsaw puzzle building to discover the complete picture which will be Henry and Susannah's HEA with the sensuality of their intimacy, plus bits of humor encompassing the less important but still necessary characters.

Even in their happily ever after, Henry and Susannah differ from most couples. The strength and longevity of their love is solid even if it differs from how some characters behave in a romance. Niven also offers seeds for possible other character's stories, which could [hopefully] grow out of this story. Readers will be bewitched by Henry and Susannah, their friends, and Niven's masterful story telling. Susannah's unpublished manuscript is one of the surprise highlights of the story. How Henry and Susannah are described there confirms how Susannah views their relationship: thriving, physical, intimate, supportive. Earl on Fire felt like a quick read because the characters were so engaging and their story was compelling.

[Debbie Steed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was such a delight to read. Both of the main characters were in their fifties and know it with their creaky knees and greying hair. There’s also social class differences between them. He is an earl and she is an ordinary woman from a working class family.

Henry Delamere is the Earl of Ashthorpe. As a younger man and husband he was aloof and cold. His marriage was a disaster and his wife left him, taking their two sons with her. Some time later Henry found something out about the man she was seeing and took the boys away from her. The boys never forgave Henry for taking them away from their mother. They were away at school and their holidays were spent with Henry but their relationship with Henry was nonexistent. When his eldest came to his majority Henry became estranged from both of his sons.
Years later he finds out he has a granddaughter who is now an orphan. He brings her home with him and Mina becomes the light of his life. He would do anything for her so when she asks for a new book from her favourite author and a grandmother he goes looking for the author and in doing so he also finds the love of his life.

Miss Susanna Beasley wonders where the years have gone. Most of her younger years were spent raising her five younger brothers. In doing so she wrote about the adventures of a young boy and used her brother's antics as inspiration for the stories. Her past made her an outsider in the village she lived in but it didn’t worry her, she has one of her brothers Dando to take care of. She is a dreamer and the villagers don’t understand her and her ways.

When Henry is given a task from his aunt who must be obeyed, he is brought to the village of Much Wemby and instantly recognises the village as depicted in the books he’s read to Mina so many times. He knows the author must have lived there but when he asks some of the villagers no one has heard of the author. When Henry and Susanna first meet she is gardening in the old churchyard. Henry is guarded and aloof and she has quirks that Henry finds odd but endearing. He tells he looking for the author of the Tommy Treadwell books to pay him to write another for Mina. There’s a spark between them but neither know what to do with it.

As Henry is leaving Much Wemby for home she stops his carriage and asks to go with him so she can write another book for Mina.
The rest of the story focuses on the growing true love between Henry and Susanna and Mina’s relationship with them. It’s a beautiful read, championing finding your soul mate in later life. The class difference means nothing between them, they are just Henry and Susanna. Mina enjoys having Susanna there as she brings out the inner child in all of them. Susanna has a space to write her next book but has to get to know Mina before she can write it. There’s a shock return that brings truth and redemption and changes their all their lives forever, bringing much joy and happiness to everyone involved.

I loved reading this book and I will be rereading it again. Henry and Susanna have such a special relationship that I wish everyone could have. There’s plenty of steam between them and no judgement from the other for anything that happened in their past. They love unconditionally and this new family brings them all so much happiness. Henry’s aunt is a dark horse who knows more than she lets on that becomes evident later in the story.
This book had not one but two epilogues, one in the book and a second that can be downloaded from her website. I loved epilogues an epilogue as I feel it completes the story of the characters that I have been so invested in throughout the book.

I would definitely recommend this book to everyone who loves a magical story with a special couple and a very sweet little girl.
I received a special copy from the author (thank you so much Ms Niven). I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

[juli✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

~ An arc review~


First off, I want to say thank you to Felicity Niven for generously gifting me with an arc of Earl on Fire. Niven is one of my favorite historical romance authors, and it was such a thrill to be on her arc team. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Now, onto the review…

Silly man, I swoon for you now.

What a refreshing read Earl on Fire turned out to be. What's present here, and in all of Niven's books, is that realistic yet romantic quality she manages to imbue in all of her books. Seriously, check out her Bed Me book series.

Like the aforementioned series, Earl on Fire subverts the typical historical romance tropes by aging up its protagonists. While yes Henry is good-looking and an earl, he is also a widow, estranged from his children, and is a grandfather/caretaker to his late son's child. Similarly, our historical romance ingenue has been wisened and aged up. Susannah is in her fifties, is a spinster/village outcast, and has very much loved, lost, and been broken hearted.

"Don't worry, I'll help you up. But I have to rest first."
And he smiled. He smiled.
"I'll help, too," Mina said.
He turned his smile on his granddaughter. "Will you? Then I shall never have to invest in a walking stick as long as I have you two to help me up."

I already like late-in-life-romances (there's something about them that just hits different), and with Earl on Fire Niven has sold me on her historical-romance take. For example, Henry has been through it. He's not that strapping young man with the world at his feet. His first marriage has left him weary, his son's passing has left him with regrets and what-ifs, and yet in his granddaughter Mina he sees a path for redemption.

Similarly, Susannah is a woman who's life did not turn out the way she had dreamed as a young girl. Her first love betrayed her and her village never let her forget it. Throughout the book we see her grappling with her desire to be with Henry butting heads with her past experiences. I liked seeing that push and pull within Susannah, and I thought Niven did a great job balancing Susannah's rational brain with her romantic heart.

Another aspect of Earl on Fire I was not expecting to enjoy so much, but ended up loving, was the side-conflicts. Usually, I'm here for the romance and the side-storylines don't interest me much. But here? I was invested. I loved getting to see Henry grapple with his mistakes, and I particularly loved getting to see him begin to heal his relationship with his estranged son. Also, any and all of his interactions with his granddaughter Mina hit me right in the feels.

Unfortunately, I don't feel like Susannah got as much of a resolution with her past-issues. There were some confrontations/cathartic moments that felt as though they were left on the cutting room floor. I also do wish the romance was a wee bit more fleshed out. As another reviewer mentioned, Henry's love/attraction for Susannah seemingly came out of nowhere. I would have liked a touch more build-up and think this could have made for a fabulous slow-burn romance. Then again, as my bestie likes to tell me, I'm a sucker for slow-burn and not everyone wants that lol.

That being said, I think Earl on Fire is a solid four star read. The romance is a sweet, high-heat, love that feel both mature and deeply romantic. The interpersonal drama is subdued but effective. And the setting of both Susannah's village and Henry's estate feel cozy and lived-in. All in all, I am so glad I got to read Earl on Fire early and I cannot wait to grab the second epilogue. Oh, and here's hoping Charles gets his own book eventually.

[Jody Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Earl on Fire is sort of a fairytale about an Earl locked in darkness and cold because of a Bad Dead Wife and estranged children, being given another lease on life with the arrival of his granddaughter, and then coming to know Susannah, a woman with a Past, but who is affectionate and giving in the present. For Romance Plot Reasons they are thrown together at his house for an extended period, and their insta-lust turns to love! Niven has as usual plotted out in intricate story, and she keeps her balls in the air neatly bringing all the various threads together.

Niven's prose is lovely in this. When I talk about the fairytale feel, I mean things like this reaction to their first kiss: "A shower of sugar sparks on her skin. Flashes of rich purple and riotous red. And wonder, wonder, wonder. She had been awoken from a hundred-year sleep, turned into a princess with satin dancing slippers, cured of the poison from a thousand barbs." Storytelling plays an important part in this book, and it's nice to see that echoed in the prose the author uses.

That said, Niven loves to play with sound and language in her writing, and this is the third work of hers where a MC has a speech quirk (although here its tied into personality quirk as well). Susannah is 50 here, and has had a full life, but she comes across as quite young and scattered. In addition to her speech quirk of word repetition, when she's surprised there's an ACK and a big comedic flinch and kerfuffle, when she's talking about body parts, she uses childlike words. She comes across as a little...dreamy if we are feeling nice, simple if we're being brutal. This is mostly the second epilogue, but there's a couple instances where David hides from her the value of items and lets her think they are worthless. They are both mature people having a committed grownup relationship of equals, where they "choose each other every day." Like, she's an adult, living in a centuries old home belonging to nobility and he's very rich. She should be able to understand that prized furniture and jewels are not from England Times IKEA and the farmers market craft booth respectively.

Because of the short length (it's a longish novella) there are some events that happen and mood shifts that happen in a sort of abrupt way. These two lean hard into the insta-lust of it all, and are quite willing to go from 0-60 at the drop of a hat, no matter the setting. This is fine, HR is full of people falling in lust immediately and acting on it. There are other HR conventions that a reader with many reads under her belt might notice are quite tweaked, and I wonder if it was a deliberate choice by the author or just story trumping setting. I'm talking about things like the relatively advanced age of a suggested participant in a proposed society marriage with an heir as the goal, or the societal repercussions of a relationship left unformalized. These are all things that are drilled into the HR reader as important in the era, and I'm not sure Niven's handwaving them away is enough.

Fans of Niven's writing (and I am firmly in that camp) will enjoy her usual slightly off beat take, and skills as a plotter. There's a lot going on in this story, and it makes for a fast and action-packed read.

Thank you to the author for the arc.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a woman who firmly believes women of all ages deserve the entire universe, unconditional love, *and* having their backs blown out, when Felicity Niven announced she had written a later-in-life romance, I was ALL IN.

Our MMC Henry, the Earl of Ashthorpe, is a fifty-five year old widower who just became the custodian of his late son's daughter. His marriage was unhappy and riddled with infidelity, he became an enemy to his children in an attempt to protect them, and he had become quite accustomed to a lonely existence...then he met his granddaughter who breathed life and happiness back into his bones. Henry has the chance to do it right this time, so when Mina requests that he find the author of her favorite children's series to petition for a new story, he'll be damned if he can't deliver. Oh also Mina would like a grandma while he's at it if it's not too much. All worries if not!

Susannah Beasley's life has been anything but dreamy. She's been the caregiver for her parents as well as her menagerie of brothers for as long as she can remember. And it's been a while because all of a sudden she is somehow in a real "Sally O'Malley" situation. She's fifty! Fifty years old! Despite once having a sweetheart, she's never married, and she still lives in the same small town caring for one of her brothers. Her main accomplishment in five decades has been writing a successful series of children's books under a nom de plume, but even that's a secret since no publisher in his right mind would option a story written by a woman. She appears to be doomed for more of the same until a smokin' hot, albeit icy, man wanders into town looking for an elusive children's author she happens to know very well.

When I say Earl on Fire was one of the most charming and refreshing stories I've read in a while, I mean it. I have been in a real reading pickle over here since last fall that has felt like I was robbed of an essential part of my identity. Literally who am I if I am not putting down a dozen books a month?! It's been weird and more than mildly distressing to say the least. And then the Earl on Fire ARC moseyed into my inbox. Was my main motivation reading it so that I could discuss it with Felicity Niven at Spill the Tea? Sure. But something about this story rewired the part of my brain that had been struggling for so long*. I could not put this book down. You know when I didn't make it to that one game night because I was really tired? Well that was true but also if I didn't sit in my hotel bed and finish this book I was going to die. IT WAS AN EMERGENCY, OK FRIENDS?!

Now I've enjoyed everything Felicity Niven has written so far, but something about Earl on Fire feels extra special. The prose is so lovely which came at no surprise, but the rarity of a later-in-life love story falling into my hands felt so remarkable as a historical romance reader. I've read dozens of stories where peers fall in love with debutantes, and even a few where they fall in love with ancient (thirty year old) spinsters. And don’t get me wrong—I love those! But as an unmarried, childless woman edging her 40s, I relate less and less to a lot the characters I’m reading. I’m getting older, but more often than not FMCs are staying the same age.

Susannah felt so special to me in this regard. I want to read about women with grey hairs. The ones who never married, and honestly might never marry, but are still happy. Women who have lived a lot of life. And I want them to get absolutely railed too! (And only partly for inspiration to make fun things like “Susannah Beasley’s First Box Eating Playlist”.)

5/5 stars

*It hasn’t even been a week and a half and I’ve already read four more books. SCIENCE!

I received an advance copy of Earl on Fire from the author. All opinions are honest and my own.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Earl On Fire” - Felicity Niven

Are middle-aged lovers sexy? They are in Niven’s book. Arthritic knees don’t end sex lives; they just mean a different position is more comfortable. In a world that fetishises children’s slim unmarked appearance, this book shows us how adults love. Maybe they can’t keep it up all night, but there’s more to spicy romance than priapism. There’s connection, and play, and coming together.

The best writing about sex makes the reader feel the same attraction as the characters, even if they’re not your type. Niven is an absolute master at this. Henry revels in Susannah’s soft, sturdy, middle-aged body. Susannah identifies and enjoys the ways Henry’s body shows his age.

I really liked the MMC. He was hot and emotionally intelligent, not a silver fox cliché. He enjoyed building a relationship with his granddaughter, indulging her, anticipating her needs and achieving the emotional connection denied him so long. His backstory resolution, believable and engaging, caused me to weep a time or two.

However, I loved the FMC in all her menopausal beauty and her writerly chaos. Her backstory gave me a few tears, too, and its resolution is excellent - very restrained and credible.

Historical novels struggle with historical prejudices but no one’s ahead of their time with their modern thinking. Henry’s feminism is rooted in his honour and his empathy. Susannah understands how her society works to disadvantage her but isn’t raging for social reform. The little details & word choices are well placed for realism. Anachronisms jerk me out of a novel but Niven is a safe pair of hands.

Once these lovers find each other there are no miscommunications to impede them. They’re mature enough to ask questions and gradually reveal their answers.

We get alternating points of view, so we don’t know for sure that Henry is as smitten with Susannah as she is with him at the first meeting. She doesn’t think much of herself so why should the “startlingly handsome gentleman”? For all the readers who worry they’re too old or too much for true love, Susannah is your heroine.

Delightful secondary characters populate this world, particularly Dando, Miss D’Oyley and the Dowager Marchioness of Chalfont. I hope we see more of them.

This book was so good, that I read it in a day. I received an advanced copy at no charge so there was a kind of deadline to meet and I had library books to finish too. I thought I’d just have a peek but I couldn’t stop. I read through my breakfast, my whole afternoon and finished it that night. It’s a long novella or a short novel because the writing is tight, not because it’s unsubstantial. This is my honest & voluntary review: it’s a great HR novel. Enjoy it as much as I did!

[Nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review: A later-in-life, historical romance with an abundance of plot twists and a big emotional rollercoaster. Earl On Fire is easily Felicity Niven's best work to date. It’s a short, compact novel with beautiful writing, but don't let the page count fool you - it packs a serious emotional punch. I've included content guidance at the end.

We finally get a Happily Ever After romance for characters who are 50+ years old, have grey hair and those very relatable "body complaints" that come with a life well-lived.

AND as both protagonists have been alone for a long time, they are making up for lost years. They have this deep, simmering attraction for each other, and between some "office shenanigans" and a particularly scene in a church, the heat level is high, but it never loses that deep, emotional recognition of being-meant-for-each-other.

BLURB:
Henry Delamere, the seventh Earl of Ashthorpe, has built an impossibly thick wall of ice around his heart, and only his granddaughter can thaw it. He’d do anything for Mina, but she just wants two things—a new storybook and a new grandmama. Henry can’t see why either should be too hard to acquire.

Miss Susannah Beasley has no idea where the years have gone. Wasn’t it just yesterday she was a girl dancing on the green with her sweetheart? True, that fellow married another long ago, and Susannah only sees a gray-haired old woman when she looks in the glass. But her flame still burns brightly.

When the frosty Henry Delamere comes to Susannah’s village in search of a mysterious author, the friction between them makes that flame glow, flare high, become a torch. Is it a signal? A guiding light? Or will the spark of their passion set her whole life ablaze?

Susannah wants a blaze. A bonfire. An inferno. But Henry's past—and hers—could turn everything to ash.
Can she find the fuel to light her earl on fire?

TROPES
Hidden identities
Later-in-life romance
Aristocrat with working class heroine

THANK YOU to Felicity for allowing me to read a copy of this story ahead of publication date.

Earl On Fire is currently set up as a standalone but there are many side characters I'd love to see get their Happily Ever After so I'm hoping for more in this universe.


CONTENT GUIDANCE - Continue with care as these also includes spoilers:

Mention of past events such as SA assault towards minors, cheating by a former partner, adoption, still-birth, parental neglect, murder, death of children, homophobia.

#romance_nook #historicalromance #romancenbookrecs #romancereaders #romancebookstagram

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for a copy of this ebook and this is my freely given opinion.

I needed this book and I did not realize it until I started to read it. Things have been rough in the world and in my life and I needed something to confirm that even when things seem like they are ending, there is still hope - hope for love, magic, happiness, and hope for HOPE. Reading this story helped to show me that there is still that spark for hope and happiness.

Henry is a widower, alone, isolated, and walled in. He appears to have lived a life of duty, after finding himself unexpectedly inheriting the title, and it was a cold duty, with a wife who excoriated and cuckolded him, and turned his two sons against him. After her passing, his relationship with his sons continued to be nonexistent. Then one day, when he is informed of the sudden passing of his eldest son, he discovers that he is a grandfather.

Henry finds himself searching for and finding his granddaughter, Mina, and this becomes the saving of him and a new start as he discovers a new life, where he revels in being able to shower her with the love he was not able to show for his sons. He can deny her nothing, and that includes finding the author of their favourite stories, to write more stories for her to love, and a new grandmother so her beloved grandfather will not be alone.

This brings Henry to a village where he stumbles upon Susannah Beasley, a grey haired enchantress he discovers scything the grass and weeds in an abandoned graveyard, and the beginnings of a magically unlikely and unusual romance and story. But the magic of this is that it is not fairy tale sweetness and light. But from the messiness of past mistakes and regrets, differing backgrounds, and in spite of the expectations of their different worlds, two unlikely souls find kindred spirits in each other, and are brave enough to open their hearts, melt the ice, and seek love and happiness again. They face each other's pasts, and reflect on each other grace, mercy, and find the ability to forgive themselves and hope and strive for more than just to live in the past. Maybe I am reading more into it than there is, but that is what I needed this moment.

It gives me hope that there can be happiness in the future, even when things look gray and dark in the moment, for someone who is definitely feeling her years, and commiserates with Susannah's wild gray hairs and Henry's creaking, stiff knees.

Thanks for that.

5 out of 5

[Unapologetic Termagant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always excited to read a (historical) romance featuring characters no longer in the first flush of youth, not only because I find them more relatable, but also because, if done well, they can help showcase the author’s craft; I find it infinitely more difficult to successfully portray the realities (and indignities) that getting older inevitably brings in a romance than the sometimes contrived premises of not-really-problems of privileged and perfect young people. In Earl on Fire, Felicity Niven definitely portrayed her older mains with affection and respect, while not shying away from their creaking knees, slight paunches, or love handles. If anything, those charming little moments contributed to the earthy and human feel of the romance between Susannah and Henry. While there is a fair number of fairy-tale references and language, thanks to their history, mistakes and trauma, the characters felt real. However, I did feel that Susannah ultimately turned out to be a bit more manic pixie dream grandma than formidable pagan priestess, which I expected her to be after we met her at an abandoned, crumbling churchyard. I appreciate a bit of darkness and sadness in protagonists’ backstories, but I felt too much was put on Susannah in terms of her "healing" the icy earl, especially since she had her fair share of issues as well. I know that’s kind of the meat and potatoes of romance, but I am somewhat over the fairly-tale premise of the downtrodden, impoverished woman doing the emotional work of the privileged man. Not that I didn’t like Henry, I absolutely did, especially in his interactions with his precocious granddaughter, but I actually thought his enchantress’s character was better established and served in the scenes with her brother than in her scenes with Henry. Nevertheless, I found myself very moved by the central romance and the balance between the sweetness and headiness of falling in love against the realities of living in a body steadily getting older. That slightly unglamorous feel was also very welcome in the fantastic sex scenes, which were incredibly hot, while also featuring numerous endearing references to the protagonists’ imperfections.

Overall, this was very tender and steamy and I was especially moved by Susannah, as I always am by indomitable eldest daughters, but I do think her trauma was piled on just a bit too thickly. It would’ve been very moving even without some of the soapier twists. But regardless of my minor quibbles, Earl on Fire was gorgeously written, human and relatable.

Huge thanks to Felicity Niven for the ARC.

[Winnifred D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes: 2nd chance romance; older MC's; class difference; Big Secret(s)
Steam level:3
TW: psychological impact of child molestation on a family

4.5 stars. Whew! This is a bit difficult to review because the second half ended up being much more complex emotionally than the first; ratings-wise I'd give the first 70% or so 4 stars, and the rest 4.75. This ends up being almost on-par with my favorite book by Felicity Niven: her debut, the marvelous Convergence of Desire. If you're a fan of the author, you'll appreciate that once again she is featuring MC's who are unusual for the HR genre: a man and woman who are 50+ and not physically perfect but still very much alive (including in the bedroom). And the angst in this storyline has little to do with the main characters' relationship; it's much more raw and tragic. For me, personally, I had to be in the right frame of mind to make it through certain chapters toward the end.

In the early chapters, though, there is a fairytale-ish vibe, and the relationship between the MC's is unapologetically insta-lusty. MMC Henry discovers MFC Susannah's secret identity early on, so that ends up being only a minor plot-point. Also, the bit of a subplot involving the tense relationship with her and her brother and former lover, who is sniffing around, doesn't linger past the first half. The strengths in this portion of the book are the whimsical descriptions and simple, unguarded moments of character interaction and development (the scenes with Henry and his granddaughter Mina are a joy, for example). The first love scene between the MC's is a sexy delight, and the book starts to deepen emotionally at this point, the "HR/fantasy" vibe giving way to something more organic.

I don't want to give away too much of the final 30%. There is a startling plot twist, an extremely moving family reunion, and a surprisingly spicy First Epilogue. Who did I end up liking the most? Not the MC's, or Mina, or the marchioness, but Charles. I seriously hope he gets his own book.

The only issue I had was, by the end, Susannah is still more of a fairytale character than a flesh-and-blood post-menopausal woman with a distinct arc. It speaks so much to the strength of this author's writing that this didn't bother me more at the end, after reading the super-steamy epilogue, but it's still an issue. As with many women in romances (and in real life) Susannah acts as a healer, but doesn't have her chance to engage in the healing process beyond her use to others. Her experiences and their consequences are by and large swept under the rug and not fully addressed. I wanted a bit more for her. Perhaps if this book had been longer, or perhaps this issue is more than can be explored within the confines of the HR genre.

Overall: beautifully written, with a unique balance between fantasy and realism, and the love of family wins over in the end.

I read an advanced reader copy of this book and this is my honest, voluntary review. Thanks to the author for this opportunity.

[Fanosse23 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Earl on Fire is a radiant, heartwarming gem that proves love stories don’t belong only to the young. Felicity Niven has crafted a romance brimming with humor, tenderness, and second chances—a tale that celebrates laugh lines, creaky knees, and the courage to open one’s heart again.

The story follows Henry Delamere, the seventh Earl of Ashthrope, a 55-year-old widower whose orderly, lonely life is upended by his spirited granddaughter Mina. Mina wants two things: a new storybook from her favorite author and—much to Henry’s surprise—a new grandmama. Determined to make her dreams come true, Henry’s journey leads him to the charming village cottage of Miss Susannah Beasley, a warm-hearted, fifty-year-old spinster who has devoted her life to raising her brothers.

Susannah’s world is in flux as her last brother lis planning to live after getting married, leaving her facing the loss of her beloved home and the solitude she’s grown used to. Henry arrives like a spark in her ashes—only to discover Susannah is none other than the elusive author of Mina’s cherished tales. Their bargain to create a new story for Mina becomes the first step in a tender, slow-blooming romance. Felicity Niven beautifully captures the magic of late-in-life love, one built on shared history, mutual respect, and the vulnerability of letting go of old regrets.

What makes Earl on Fire shine is its authenticity. Henry and Susannah are far from perfect—they carry mistakes, regrets, and scars—but there’s no judgment between them. Their heartfelt conversations about their pasts are emotional and raw. Henry’s guilt over his estranged son and Susannah’s youthful missteps add depth, while the unexpected plot twists keep the story both moving and surprising.

This was a fabulous story and I loved every minute of it. By the final page, Earl on Fire leaves you with a glow that lingers. It’s more than a romance; it’s a celebration of resilience, healing, and the intoxicating joy of a second chance. Felicity Niven delivers not just a happily-ever-after, but a radiant reminder that it’s never too late for love. A must-read for anyone who believes true love—and true joy—have no age limit.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a free Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jeriann Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

You are all going to want to read Earl of Fire by Felicity Niven. This mature romance is a forced proximity, class difference romance.

Widower Henry is an earl who has taken in his illegitimate granddaughter after her parents are killed. Mina is a delightful child and enamored of children’s stories penned when her late father, Henry’s eldest, had been a boy. Henry is in his upper fifties. Mina‘s arrival in Henry’s life has given him new purpose. He’d always considered himself a cold father, unsure how to express his love for his two sons.

When Mina asks for more stories,Henry finds his way to a small village where he meets the lovely Susannah, a spinster around fifty who has raised her four younger brothers. Lo and behold, Susannah turns out to be the author of the particular children’s stories that Mina adores. When she faces the prospect of losing her cottage when her youngest brother marries, she makes the deal with Henry to write a new book for Mina. This is somewhat daunting for her because she has an actually written anything in many years.

Of course, Henry and Susannah fall in love and along the way heal both of them. I love how Felicity Niven wove in the trauma and drama from their separate lives and fit that into their current existence. As a reader, I felt like I was really going along with the self discovery that both Henry and Susanna went through over the course of the story. There’s some family drama along the way as hurts and misunderstandings from the past are resolved, and maybe a set up for another story. (I hope so.) No spoilers, but I also appreciated how mature love is possible, despite imperfect and aging bodies. Ms Niven reminds us that physical and emotional love doesn’t always come wrapped up in nice and neat young packages. Sometimes lovers come to each other with physical imperfections. And sometimes lovers have pasts that they’re trying to live down.

I highly recommend this. It’s a mature romance. And I give it a five star rating in my own personal “well worth a reread” which is my highest rating.

This was a review of an advanced copy provided by the author.

[Kim L · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC for the Earl on Fire. This is my honest review of the story.

Ms. Niven has crafted a sweet (& spicy) second-chance-at-love romance that zips down like a perfect cup of PG Tips with plenty of milk and sugar. Henry Delamere, the seventh Earl of Ashthorpe, leads a simple, well-ordered life in the country with his darling granddaughter, Mina. Mina, who has her grandfather wrapped solidly around her tiny finger, decides she must have a new Tommy Treadwell book that hasn't been written yet. Thus, she sets her grandfather on a mission to find the author of the series and commission the author to write a new one.

Henry's journey leads him to the small village of Much Wemby where he encounters charming Susannah Beasley, the town eccentric, cutting weeds in a graveyard. The attraction is instant. Buttoned-up Henry meets buttoned-down Susannah. Susannah is 50, gray-haired, with dimpled knees. A long-ago love affair gone awry ruined her chances at marriage so she remains in the village where she was born, keeping house for her youngest brother and yearning for something more. Golden-haired Henry with his "splendid nose" offers just the right tonic, and their first kiss awakens her to the possibility that life hasn't yet passed her by.

But she has to act fast. She isn't getting any younger; her brother has just announced he's getting married, which will leave her destitute; and Henry's leaving town. But what she *does* have is her talent for writing Tommy Treadwell books. When Susannah reveals *she* is the Tommy Treadwell author to Henry, the story spins in a rollicking new direction with Susannah and Henry now living under the same roof while she spins a new story for Mina. But there are more secrets they are both hiding before they can truly be together.

This was a fun - and ooh steamy read. The writing is wry and chirpy; the main characters are engaging and relate to each other and their aging bodies in a natural, and at times, humorous way. (e.g., his knees, her loose flesh). I liked it!

Thank you to the author for the free copy.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book at no charge. This is my honest and voluntary review!

This was def. an almost 5 star story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Please scroll to bottom for tw)

I’ll say ‘only’ 4.8 🤩
because:
-even with the second epilogue, there could easily have been more pages for Susannah & Henry 😄🧡
-I’m all there for angst, so a little more detailing on the chapters with doubt would be chef’s kiss 🫣
-regarding the village fair - I was like ‘where did he decide to risk things and just kiss his enchantess’?

That all said, this was so good! Touching on some important reallife subjects like the doubts of a parent, the fierce protection felt for your kids and the misunderstood ways of a relationship between two people who have been hurt before.
Also how you can come from hardship and no one thanked or understood you and yet still be ready to open your heart again 🧡

The way of Henry’s war-flashbacks intertwined in the daily scenes, were perfect! Very refreshing not having them visual in the text in italic and not only in actionpacked and/or dangerous situations (as many authors tend to do) - but sort of ‘just’ him feeling and experiencing it, maybe zoning out a bit, but still being in the moment.

Read this one if
🤩 You like Felicity Niven
😁 You sometimes need a main couple who are not young and pretty and ‘built like a god/godess’
😎 You like opendoor and detailed, honest smeggsy times
😍 Children who are a little old for their age
🧡 HEAs
📚Plot twists and small turns

Note:
This is not quite a novel as for page-/word-count, more like a lovely long novella 😄
(I read the book plus second epilogue and the info/notes in both, in max. 3 hours total)

Some trigger warnings!
SA (SA’er is drunk and passes out.. and yes, it’s brief but still there and FMC handles it like it wasn’t a situation 🙁)
Pedo off page (Mentioned several times)
Death off page (accidental but it’s one of the main side characters parents)
Murder (paid by MMC)

[Sam-TRN · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Balogh was right, as expected.

4.5 ⭐️

This was just fantastic, sweet, tender, engaging and sometimes funny as hell (the aching joints are so relatable 😂).
The country gentry setting is very reminiscent of Pride & Prejudice atmosphere. The characters are just green flags all around;
The Earl:
Henry: second son of an earl who didn’t expect to inherit the title, but now he is a lord with a lot of responsibilities. Former Commanding officer who still thinks of bullet sounds and the smell of gunpowder.
Big man is a widower who has Baggage with a capital B, His loveless marriage, treasonous wife and estranged sons. He was so emotionally constipated he couldn’t repair his relationship with his sons even after his wife died; holy parental alienation, Batman.
But then his granddaughter Mina came into his life; followed by Susannah.
Also, one more blond MMC for the win.

The fire:
Susannah: a woman from a Working class background, caretaker of her ailing mother (until the mother passed away) and 5 brothers, while her father was absent. A romance in her youth that ended horribly, and her former lover remained in the village with his new wife to rub it her face for probably 30 years. (He was also a shit lover; F you, Ned) But she is also a secret author of children books. And the books are one reason she serendipitously crosses paths with Henry.

The moments between Henry and Susannah were so lovely and tender; I swooned all the way through.
Mina was a tad precocious for me but that was NBD. Lady Chalfont’s is a hoot! I loved Dando and I hope Celia is good for him. The side characters (especially Emma) can fuel an entire series. I can’t wait to read the newsletter epilogue.
There is a plot twist that blew my mind at the beginning of the third act.
The love scenes are 🌶️

Fabulous, fabulous story 💛

[Emilia Redington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Felicity Niven’s Earl on Fire is a refreshing and heartfelt romance that proves love stories don’t belong to just one stage of life. Centered on Susannah and Henry, both in their 50s, the book offers a deeply emotional, mature take on second chances and the courage it takes to open your heart again.

What stood out most to me was how beautifully their relationship was written. It isn’t idealized or overly polished; instead, it feels real. Both Susannah and Henry carry past trauma, and rather than using that as a source of constant conflict, Felicity approaches it with care, empathy, and nuance. Their connection is built on mutual respect, patience, and a genuinely nonjudgmental acceptance of who they are, flaws, scars, and all. It’s incredibly refreshing to see a romance where emotional safety and understanding are just as important as chemistry.

The supporting cast also adds a lot of warmth to the story. Mina, Henry’s niece, completely stole my heart, she’s sweet, endearing, and brings a lightness that balances the heavier emotional themes. I found myself just as invested in the side characters as I was in the main couple, which is always a sign of strong storytelling.

If this is a hint at future books or a series, I am absolutely on board. There’s so much potential in the characters introduced, and I would love to see more of their journeys toward happiness.

Overall, Earl on Fire is a tender, emotionally rich romance that celebrates healing, acceptance, and the idea that it’s never too late to find love. A must-read for anyone who enjoys mature, character-driven love stories with heart.

Disclosure: I received the book as an advanced reader from the author, but this didn't influence my review in a way.

[Shiney · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a long time coming, but good things truly do come to those who wait, because we have a new Felicity Niven romance on our hands. FINALLY. (Ms. Niven did publish her full Lovelocks collection last year, with a new novella--but it has entirely been too long).

For her "comeback," Ms. Niven gave us a later-in-life romance in Earl on Fire, with all the aches and pains that this side of life brings. Henry Delamere, the Earl of Ashcroft is impenetrable, so much so that he doesn't even know he's quite lonely. At 55, and surprised by the fact that he's a grandfather, Henry finds that maybe there is some life yet to live. Meanwhile, Susannah Beasley, is resigned to the fate of most women growing old childless, unmarried, and with all the accumulated burden and sorrows of being an eldest daughter.

When they meet, it's sweet, then when they give in to their undeniable chemistry, it's instantly smoldering. Nevertheless, the journey is tender, and healing, and life-affirming.

I don't know about you, but "later in life" conjures some images or expectations on what it could be--maybe something tepid, or maybe an abdication of feelings. There is a placidity to the way the story plodded along in Earl on Fire, but there's also the passion and the heat to give credence to the "fire" in its title. There's enough mystery to solve, trauma to heal from, and the joy and elation and intimacy and the body's pleasures, and all the wonders of life left to live.

Touching and hopeful, and also--so hot.

Earl on Fire is out on May 7.

I received an ARC of this book from the author. This review is made voluntarily, honestly and for free.

[Rachel b00ksrmagic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to @felicitynivenauthor for my gifted digital review copy.

Read this book if you like: Regency romance, older (50s) MCs, grumpy/sunshine

Henry Delamere, the Earl of Ashthorpe, has lived a life of duty. Now he’s alone, a widower estranged from his only living son. But his 5 year old granddaughter Mina gives him a second chance on life. She thaws his heart and brings joy to his life. In return she asks for two things—a grandmother and for her favorite author to write another book. So Henry travels to the tiny town of Much Wemby in search of the man who wrote Mina’s favorite books. There he meets Susannah, a spinster, who may know more about these books than she’s letting on. When she agrees to accompany him home, the sparks they kindle in each other threaten to burst into flame.

I adore Felicity Niven’s writing. She captures the essence of regency romance, keeping an authentic historical feel which giving her characters relatable thoughts and feelings. Henry and Susannah are adorable. I love that they are in their 50s. I’m only a few years away from 50 myself, and it was wonderful to see characters on the page who look like me. In a sea of 18 year old heroines, it’s lovely to see that hope and passion don’t have to fade with age.

the story seems simple, instant attraction and forced proximity, but the characters are complex. This short novel (less than 300 pages) manages to incorporate a lot of depth and backstory for the characters. As they unpack the past, their relationship deepens. I loved all the side characters. Little Mina is a precocious delight. And all the relatives of both MCs were iconic. The perfect paving kept me reading and let to a satisfying conclusion.

Get this one on Kindle Unlimited today!

[Lori S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susannah Beasley is not a young woman. She is unmarried and she has spent most of her life looking after five brothers after her mother died. Time is running out for her, though, when the youngest brother announces he is marrying, and it's a woman who really doesn't like Susannah too. Although she has the option of living with her brother and wife, it's not something she looks forward to. And besides, they plan to move away from the area. Henry Delamere has made a number of mistakes in his life. He wasn't much of a father to his two sons and has long been estranged to the one still living. He changes everything when he takes on the other son's orphaned daughter and becomes her closest kin. Susannah and Henry meet because Henry goes searching for the writer of children's books loved by his son and finds himself in the same town as Susannah. From there, they begin the journey of their own romance, and it is a delightful story.

This historical romance has middle aged characters it's their own personal histories, complete with secrets of sorts, that have shaped their lives into who they are now. There is a certain sweetness to the romance but also there is plenty of passion between these two. They are not content to do things the way they might have in the past. It's all in good spirits, love and fun and I felt incredibly lucky to be on the journey with them.

Overall, a really lovely historical romance that doesn't fit the usual parameters in this field. I give this a solid four stars and highly recommend this to those who enjoy the genre. Thank you to Felicity Niven for providing this advanced reader copy at no cost. My thoughts and opinions are provided voluntarily.